ALBANY, GA | Morehouse rode a dominant night in the paint and a balanced frontcourt attack to a 77–54 road win over Albany State in the SIAC opener Thursday night at HPER Complex on the East Campus. The Maroon Tigers led wire to wire, using a smothering first-half defensive effort and a hot-shooting second half to secure their first victory of the season and spoil the Golden Rams' home conference debut.
First Half: Defense and the Glass Set the Tone
Morehouse wasted little time seizing control. Brandon Peters knocked down a jumper on the opening possession and the Maroon Tigers blitzed Albany State with a 10–2 start built almost entirely at the rim. Logan McCormick and Caleb Thompson carved out deep post position early, finishing in traffic and grabbing second-chance opportunities as Morehouse controlled the glass.
The Maroon Tigers' defense was just as imposing. Albany State struggled to handle the pressure, committing 11 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes and rarely getting comfortable in its half-court sets. Morehouse forced miscues on the perimeter, turned steals into runouts, and consistently funneled drives into contested attempts around the rim.
Even with their own perimeter shots not falling — Morehouse went just 1-for-8 from three and 0-for-2 at the line before halftime — the Tigers compensated by pounding the lane for 22 first-half points in the paint. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams misfired at the stripe (1-for-6) and managed only 18 points before the break, as Morehouse took a 29–18 lead into the locker room behind a 23–17 edge on the boards and a 16–2 advantage in points off turnovers.
Second Half: Hot Shooting Blows It Open
Any hopes Albany State had of a second-half comeback were quickly dashed in the opening minutes after intermission. A technical foul on the Golden Rams to open the half led to a free throw by Sincere Moore, followed by two Logan McCormick free throws and a driving layup from Robert Brazelton that stretched the margin to 34–18. Moments later, Moore buried a three from the wing to push the lead to 37–20 and firmly put the Tigers in command.
Albany State finally found some rhythm from long distance, knocking down seven three-pointers after halftime. But every time the Golden Rams strung together a couple of baskets, Morehouse answered with inside scoring from Josiah Lawson and Thompson or timely drives from the backcourt. The Maroon Tigers continued to attack the paint, drawing fouls and converting at the line after the break.
Morehouse was efficient and poised down the stretch, turning a methodical push into a runaway. The Maroon Tigers shot a blistering 64 percent from the field and 50 percent from three in the second half while turning the ball over only three times. Combined with another strong rebounding showing and a 24–12 edge in second-half points in the paint, Morehouse steadily grew the lead into the 20s and cruised to the 23-point victory.
Team Comparison
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Field Goals: Morehouse: 30-of-62 (48%) | Albany State: 22-of-48 (46%)
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Three-Point Shooting: Morehouse: 5-of-16 (31%) | Albany State: 8-of-19 (42%)
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Free Throws: Morehouse: 12-of-17 (71%) | Albany State: 2-of-12 (17%)
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Rebounds: Morehouse: 39 (12 offensive) | Albany State: 25 (2 offensive)
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Turnovers / Points Off Turnovers: Morehouse: 9 turnovers, 21 points off turnovers | Albany State: 15 turnovers, 4 points off turnovers
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Points in the Paint: Morehouse: 46 | Albany State: 26
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Bench Points: Morehouse: 30 | Albany State: 17
Albany State shot respectably from the floor, especially from three, but Morehouse's overwhelming edge on the glass, free-throw line, and in the turnover battle turned the game into a one-sided affair.
Morehouse Statistical Leaders
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Josiah Lawson: 20 points (9-of-12 FG, 1-of-3 3FG), 4 rebounds, 1 steal
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Logan McCormick: 14 points (4-of-7 FG, 6-of-7 FT), 8 rebounds, 1 block
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Brandon Peters: 11 points (5-of-8 FG, 1-of-3 3FG), 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
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Caleb Thompson: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
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JerMontae Hill: 6 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
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Robert Brazelton: 6 points, 5 assists, 2 steals
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Sincere Moore: 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Lawson's efficiency off the bench led all scorers, while McCormick and Thompson gave the Tigers a powerful one-two punch in the frontcourt, combining for 24 points and 15 boards. Peters, Brazelton and Hill provided balance on the perimeter with playmaking, perimeter defense and secondary scoring.
With the win, Morehouse improves to 1–2 overall and 1–0 in SIAC play, while Albany State falls to 0–3 and 0–1 in the league. The Maroon Tigers now continue their demanding early-season road swing, traveling to Mobile, Ala., to face Spring Hill College in another SIAC matchup. Thursday's performance — built on defense, rebounding and frontcourt depth — is exactly the formula Morehouse will need as it navigates a stretch in which seven of its first eight regular-season contests, including five of the first six conference games, are played away from home.
